New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-10-23

of the n Sso .SDafion az an ARRAY Oh the street
| aud attemote TO Justify Casey. That was Inc
Ueyai.s deafh-Warrant. Several huldrcd OF tue
business men met and agreed TO wlihdIaw theF
advertising from tne offending journal Inc a'c-
,Iouccrs' advertisements alone constituting acpn-
adorable ratrmony. were Withdrawn ina BODY. III
.,y.u,v-fonr hours The UrnlG found II necessary
+, reduce IFS TO nj. by onc-half l. con'lnn"i 10
sfru,alc cn flr some time In q dogecI!y 0'11at
WAS. ba. j. mover resained it, prestige cor pio--
ucri.y and hYav persisted. This, too, was iir all
D.uistrstIon of popular justice II wa iin'oSslb'e
for a community that deeply resented the nn-
timely takile-.H oi its champion and dri'nirr'
James KING o. William. to suppress journal
which dared TO N tify that monairoa' crime IRE
Attn was built mp by John Nrcents folly ana
prrycrslty. and though The H,rald WAS resurieclcd
under new aus oicos many Years subsequently, IL
coald not exist under It's old record, but ieli hnl
from the first aud was soon again suspended
The Executive COMMITTEES Ct the Vigilance Com
.m.ttce had HOPED thai it would DE possible to ol5-
band after the execution of Casey and Cora; bnt
the hostile attiule of the Governor and hts a J.
y,ers, and the uttcauce of an executive p'cil-
nation declaring san Francisco in state
of Instruction and calling out tie mIi'ia
to suppress the revolt, compelled them
not only to continue their organization but to eA-
tend ana solldity IT in every possible way. The
people at large not in san Francisco alone, mt
( throughout che State were heartily with the Com
/ m.ttec; bat there were plenty OF de>peradoeS ana
rc-catng Southcrners and balu'd thieves ana
! Gamblers and rpglcS of all degrees from whom 10
bnild up IA opposition winch. under the stimulus
o General Shernqns tIacuent suggestions and the
shield Of Executive authority, might cause Sc
rions trouble, and even preclpItatc the collision
the NlgilantS were most anxious to avoid. he
Governor, indeed endcavOrcd strcnuouSiy TO obtain
the and of the Fedora authorizes III putting down
the NIgant Committee. He made formal april
cation to General Wool and Captain faragut
commanding respectively the military and ma
val departments on the Pacific coast. but these
officers knew their duty too well TO give nm the
arms he demanded. The commander OF the gun
boat John Adams. living at San Francisco. showed
a strong inclination to take sides with the law ana
order party but was restrained by his superiors
He even went so far as 10 place his vessel at the
foot of one of the streets commanding the Nlgl-
liant headquarters, and he expressed perfect
readiness to lombard San Francisco should per
mission be given HIM. But neither the local repre-
sentatives of the National Government nor Presi-
dent Pierce could he induced TO take the dangerous
measures urged upon them. although In the repre-
sensations made at Washington the situation was
maclously trayestied, and the Nlgilant Commit
tee WAS described as a lawlcSs and reckless mob.
tee were however. serious enough 1t APP
reared more probable day that
the "chivary" faction would force civil war upon
the community. Several companies had been raised
and were being drilled and every effort was being
made to strengthen and invite the opposition. At
this time the steadast GOODNESS ana seii-restralht
of the Vgiant Executive was stnkinsiy mani
tested They perceived that the wisest and safest
way to prevent collision was to remove the means
of belhgerency. Having correspondents and OBJ
servers everywhere their opponents could not make
a move unknown to them. They learned that con
signments Of arms aud ammunition had been DIS
patched from the interior. Instantly they deter
mined 10 intercept and seize these arms Vessels
were chartered, manned by resolute men and sent
TO cruise in the harbor The undertaking sue
ceeded completely Three cons gnments OF muskets
and ammunition captured aud conveyed TO
the Vigllant headquarters. Then occurred the most
embarrassing incident of the campaign. Judge
Terry of the State Supreme Court. was one OF the
most prominent members OF the Law and order
party. He came down from Sacramento to forward
the movement against the Committee. He was one
of a number of chivalry men no undertook 10
pre- cent posse of ViHlants from arrcstng GRIM
inal. A scuffie occurred in the street, and Judge
Terry drew a knife and severely wounded Wig
liant named Hopkins. Terry and his friends
sought shelter in the adjoining armory of one OF the
law aud order militia companies. The NlGiiant
Committee learning what had happened
surrounded the arnory, pointed loaded cannon
at the doors, aud demanded the immediate
surrender of all III the building. Hesitation
and resistance were equally futile. The surrender
was made and Judge Terry was taken to Nlgilant
headquarters and locked IN cell TO await the re
suit of Hopkinss wound.
Again the public were violently excited. Every
where cries were heard " Hang Terry" But the
committee meant TO do justice aud justice only.
Had Hopkins died there can be no doubt
that the execution of Terry would have
! followed, after far tIal; but the
| wounded man recovered, and then the problem
of the disposition to be made Of the Judicial prison
er became embarrassing. The Committee had but
| two methods of purgng the community. Capital
offences they punished with DEATH all others with
Punishment. 1t was clear that they could not
hang Terry; and it was equally clear that they
could not sentence him to exile with the condition
| that he should die If he returned In fact il was
| not possible to Danish such a man, and TO inlIct
| sentence which meant nothing would be useless
| and mschievOus TO the prestige OF the
| committee. After anxious consideration and
much delay Terry was tried, found guilty
| of the minor counts against him, and liberated
| This step produced general dissatIsfac-
ton and indignation but it IS difficult to what
| else the committee could have done, and presently
| those who had denounced their action most bitter
| y came to recognize its wisdom The ARRAY IN
which Hopkins was wounded led, however. to an
important and most useful step. The Executive
| Committee decided on a general disarmament Of
| the law and order militia, and the measure
carried out with prompttnde and Judgment All
the armories surrounded by strong detach
ments and before any resistance could be organized
they were captured and the arms In them removed
to places of safety. After this there practically
no danger of attack upon the committee unless the
United States Government should decide TO inter
| fere All this time the real work Of the Vigilants